Draft Profile: Rasmus Asplund

2016 NHL Draft

C Rasmus Asplund

Farjestad BK (SHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  03/30/2016 |  New York  |  [hupso]

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’11, 176 lbs
Born: December 3, 1997 Filipstad, Sweden
Obtained: Signed two-year contract extension with Farjestad BK (SHL) on December 18th, 2015.
Notes: 2015-16: Tied for sixth among SHL junior players with all 12 of his points coming at even strength…Won 50 percent of his faceoffs (178-356), the best among Swedish League juniors…Fired 41 shots in 46 games, averaging 13:40 of ice time a game…Scored three goals and added two assists in seven games for Team Sweden at the 2016 World Junior Championship…Picked up an assist in three games for Team Sweden at the 2015 U18 Four Nations Tournament in Finland…2014-15: Split the season between Farjestad’s senior and junior clubs…Led J20 Superlit with a 68.2 percent faceoff percentage…Played in three games for Team Sweden at the 2014 U20 Four Nations Tournament in Prerov, Czech Republic…Scored two goals and added an assist at the 2014 U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup…Scored two goals and added three assists in five games at the U18 World Championship.

An excellent two-way center who didn’t take long to earn a full-time job in Sweden’s top league. Asplund was a polished sophomore for Farjestad in 2015-16, centering the third line and performing spot duty in the top six along with fellow 2016 draft eligible Oskar Steen and 2015 first rounder Joel Eriksson Ek. However, it was a breakout performance for Team Sweden while subbing for an injured William Nylander at the 2016 world junior championship which gave him dual-continent recognition, finishing the tournament with five points as Sweden’s de facto top center.

Asplund is quick and shifty, using his speed and turning ability to gain time and space. He has a good touch around the net, positioning his stick in the right place and takes a beating to complete a play. His SHL numbers might not show it, but he’s a very good scorer with a quick, accurate shot. Asplund is strong on the puck and can make plays across the ice or diagonally while traveling at a high rate of speed. His work ethic off the ice is excellent, and it shows — he’s a tenacious forechecker and competes every shift from start to finish. Asplund is far from physical, but his excellent work in the faceoff circle coupled with his smarts makes him a perfect fit for the NHL’s puck-possession game.